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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. shower — rain
  6. bound — certain
  7. mug — to rob
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. last — final
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. shower — to wash
  17. lean — thin
  18. roll — a list
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. roll — a cake
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — obliged
  23. mug — a face
  24. last — to go on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com